Practical Guide • 2025

website builder sites free

How small businesses can build a free website that ranks, converts and grows — step-by-step

Free website builders are a powerful way for trades and local services to get online quickly. This guide shows exactly which platforms to choose, how to structure your site for SEO, and a 30-day action plan to start getting customers.

Quick Start: Launch Free SEO Checklist

Free plan available

60s

Start a site (setup speed)

100%

Mobile-ready templates

Local

Optimize for "near me" searches

What you'll find in this guide

Choose the right free builder Design & site structure SEO basics for free sites Content & images that convert Local SEO & citations Analytics & conversion tracking 30-day action plan FAQs

Why free website builder sites are a smart start for small businesses

Free website builders (Wix, Google Sites, Weebly, Carrd, and the like) let you launch an online presence quickly and at zero cost. For local trades, mobile businesses, and service providers who need a simple brochure site to attract phone calls and bookings, a free site is often the fastest, lowest-risk option.

This guide focuses on getting an effective, discoverable website from free tools — not a long-term technical deep-dive. If your business grows, moving to a paid plan or a managed provider (like Congero) is a natural next step.

Choose the right free website builder

Not all free builders are equal. Pick one that gives you mobile-first templates, easy SEO fields, and the ability to connect a custom domain (or upgrade later without rebuilding).

Wix (good template variety)

Drag-and-drop editor, lots of templates, built-in SEO Wiz. Free plan shows Wix branding and subdomain.

Best for: visual control & quick pages

Google Sites (fast & simple)

Extremely simple, reliable hosting via Google. Limited SEO controls but ideal for single-page brochure sites.

Best for: absolute beginners and intranet-style pages

Carrd & Webflow (lightweight & fast)

Carrd is brilliant for single-page sites and fast load times; Webflow has a free tier for prototypes but a steeper learning curve.

Best for: landing pages and modern layouts

How to pick — quick checklist

Does the free plan let you edit page titles and meta descriptions?
Are templates mobile-responsive?
Can you add Google Analytics or a tracking snippet?
Is it easy to upgrade to a paid plan and keep your content?

Design and site structure that actually converts

Free builders can still produce highly effective sites if you follow a simple structure and prioritise clarity, trust signals and calls to action.

Essential pages (keep it minimal)

Home / Landing page
Services (1 page per service or a clear services list)
About / Trust & Credentials
Contact (phone, booking link, map)

Homepage layout (simple funnel)

Hero: Primary service + phone + CTA above the fold
Benefits: 3 quick bullets why choose you
Services preview: Link to individual services
Social proof: 3 testimonials or jobs completed
Contact CTA: Call / WhatsApp / Book now

Mobile-first tips

Use large tap targets for phone and buttons
Short headlines and 2–3 line service descriptions
Compress images for mobile (under 200 KB where possible)
Test on actual phones — not just the preview

Pro tip: Put your phone number in the top left or top right and make it a click-to-call link. For local services, most conversions are phone calls.

SEO basics for free website builder sites

Free builders can rank if you follow on-page SEO fundamentals and spend time on local signals. Treat SEO as a checklist you repeat, not a one-time task.

Quick SEO setup (must-do)

Page title: Include your main service + suburb (e.g., "Plumber Sydney — Emergency Plumbing")
Meta description: 120–155 characters, clear CTA (Call now, Book online)
H1 headings: One clear H1 per page describing the service
URL slugs: Short and keyword-rich (example: /plumber-sydney)
Image alt text: Describe the image and include your service keyword
Robots & sitemap: Enable if the builder provides a sitemap.xml and indexing controls

Local SEO & citations

Google Business Profile: Claim and complete your profile with photos and services
Consistent NAP: Name, Address, Phone must match across directories
Local citations: Add your business to Yellow Pages, TrueLocal and local directories
Customer reviews: Ask customers to leave reviews — respond to them promptly

Simple content SEO plan (3 steps)

Week 1: Optimize 3 core pages (Home, Services, Contact)
Week 2: Add 1 local service page per suburb you serve
Week 3: Publish a short blog or news post answering a common customer question (300–600 words)

Content and images that build trust and drive action

Content quality matters more than fancy features. Clear service descriptions, strong calls-to-action, and genuine photos convert best.

Words that convert

Lead with benefit: Start sentences with how you help the customer (e.g., "We fix burst pipes fast").
Use social proof: Short testimonials with first name + suburb work well.
Make CTAs clear: "Call now", "Get a quote", "Book online" — one primary CTA per page.
Use bullet points: People scan—make key info scannable.

Images & load speed

Use real photos of your team and vans when possible — authenticity converts.
Compress images to reduce page weight — aim under 200 KB for hero images.
Add alt text describing the photo and include service keyword where natural.
Serve modern formats (WebP) if your builder supports it.

Image placeholder idea:

A photo of you on the job + an image of a finished job builds credibility. Stock images are fine for starters but replace them with real photos as soon as you can.

Analytics, tracking and converting visitors into customers

Even free sites can (and should) track performance. Start simple and focus on actions that show ROI.

What to track

Phone clicks (tap-to-call)
Contact form submissions
Time on key pages (Services, Pricing)
Top traffic sources (Google, Facebook, referrals)

How to set it up

Install Google Analytics or GA4 if your builder supports it.
Add a Google Search Console verification to see search queries.
Use UTM tags for any ads or social posts to measure campaign performance.
Create a simple weekly report: phone calls, leads, top pages.

Metric to watch: If a page gets visits but zero contacts, improve the CTA and test adding a direct call button or clearer pricing.

Local SEO: getting found in your service area

For small businesses, local search drives the majority of customers. Focus on proximity, relevance and prominence.

1. Google Business Profile

Complete your profile (hours, phone, services, photos) and post updates. Use the same business name as your website.

2. Local pages

Create a page for each suburb you serve — keep content unique and helpful (short 350–600 words).

3. Citations & reviews

Keep NAP consistent and ask for reviews after jobs. Respond professionally to all reviews.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

1. Relying only on a subdomain

If you're serious about being found, register a custom domain — it's inexpensive and looks professional.

2. Thin content on service pages

Avoid one-line service pages. Aim for 300–600 words that answer client questions and include location signals.

3. Ignoring analytics

If you don't measure, you can't improve. Even simple weekly checks reveal what to fix first.

30-day action plan: from zero to a working website

A practical, week-by-week plan you can follow without technical expertise.

Week 1 — Set up

Create an account on your chosen free builder
Pick a mobile-responsive template
Add business name, phone and a clear hero CTA
Claim Google Business Profile

Week 2 — SEO fundamentals

Optimize page titles, meta descriptions and H1s
Create 1–2 local service pages (unique content)
Install Google Analytics / Search Console

Week 3 — Content & trust

Upload real photos of work and team
Add 3 short testimonials
Ensure click-to-call works on mobile

Week 4 — Promote & measure

Share the site on social profiles, add your site to local directories, and review analytics: which pages get visits and whether visitors call. Tweak CTAs and content based on what you learn.

When to stay free — and when to upgrade

Free builders are great for starting out. Consider upgrading if:

You need a custom domain without builder branding
You want faster loading or advanced SEO controls
You need ecommerce, bookings, or integrations not available on free plans

If you want professional help

Services like Congero offer an affordable path from free to professional — managed hosting, local SEO, unlimited updates and a rapid launch process. If you'd rather spend time on jobs than websites, a subscription builds and optimises your site for you.

See a Managed Option

Frequently asked questions

Can I rank on Google with a free website?

Yes. Google values relevance, speed, mobile friendliness and content quality—not how much you paid. Follow the SEO checklist in this guide.

Do I need a custom domain?

A custom domain looks professional and helps with branding and local trust. Many builders let you register a domain cheaply or connect an existing one when you upgrade.

What is the fastest way to get calls from my site?

Make your phone number very visible (header + hero), use click-to-call buttons, and include a "Call now" CTA on service pages. Also ensure your Google Business Profile is accurate.

How often should I update content?

Update service pages when offerings change, add a short blog post or project each month, and refresh photos quarterly. Frequent updates help local SEO.

Start your free site today — or get it built for you

Follow the steps above to create a free, effective website. If you prefer a done-for-you option with local SEO and unlimited updates, check out managed subscriptions that launch quickly and scale as you grow.

Quick start: build free now See Managed Options & Pricing

Tip: Start on a free plan to validate demand. Move to a paid plan or a managed service when you start getting consistent enquiries.